Setback's desert Bf 108 from the daring 'Sonderkommando Blaich' raid.

[major_setback]

Setback's skin, of the desert Bf 108 KG-EM from the 'Sonderkommando Blaich' raid.

Download
http://airwarfare.com/sow/index.php/...y/23-bf-108-b2


This skin represents one of the 2 aircraft that participated in the daring Sonderkommando Blaich raid on Allied Free French forces at Fort Lamy, NorthAfrica, in January 1942.

'To the crew′s surprise, no air defence was organised at Fort Lamy and they were able to drop their 16 bombs, 10,000 lb (4,500 kg) of explosives, unhindered. The French forces were too surprised to organise any air defence and 80,000 gallons of fuel and the complete oil supply were destroyed and, possibly, as many as ten aircraft.

Theo Blaich, a German adventurer and plantation owner who had joined the Wehrmacht in 1939, arriving in his own Messerscmitt Bf 108 Taifun - recognised the importance of Fort Lamy as a way point in the overland transport and communication route from the west coast of Africa to the Nile, as well as an assembly point for Allied operations. Blaich proposed the capture of Fort Lamy to safeguard the southern border of Libya. When his suggestions weren't taken seriously in Berlin, he proposed that he should at least carry out a bombing mission.
Blaich found a more interested audience in Erwin Rommel, who approved the idea and forwarded it to the Fliegerführer Afrika. The date for the operation was set as 21 January 1942, to coincide with Rommel′s offensive against the British defences at El Agheila.
Blaich′s commando left the oasis of Hun on 20 January, and consisted of German and Italian soldiers and three aircraft, an He 111, a Savoia and Blaich′s Taifun. Six (crew) of the group were to go on the air raid, while the Italian crew, minus their pilot, stayed behind
The raid against a target located 1,250 mi (2,010 km) from the German bases in North Africa was a success. On its return flight, the German plane ran out of fuel and had to make an emergency landing; both crew and plane were rescued a week later.'

The above is condensed from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonderkommando_Blaich

Luftwaffe-experten forum, giving detailed information and quite a number of photos:

http://www.luftwaffe-experten.org/fo...p?showtopic=81

Map of the location of the airfield from the above link
http://www.luftwaffe-experten.org/FortLamybombing1.jpg


Skins included in the download:
- With KG-EM markings including swastika
- With KG-EM markings without swastika
- Generic skin.
There are also weathered versions of each of the above mentioned skins, showing dirt and grime (with only very limited paint chipping).



















Wing walk-boards: re-done as the default ones are transparent and almost invisible:


Weathering dirt and grime:




Fabric control surfaces:






I plan to soon start work on the skin of the He111 that took part in the raid (after the completion of a couple of skins that I have in the pipeline).

I think the small 'Sonderkommando Blaich' raid would make an interesting subject for any mission builders out there.

I hope you enjoy the skins.
Cheers,
Setback

[Edit: from one of the links above] 'The "Efta Einak" emblem was Arabic for the German slogan, "Holzauge, sei wach!" (Wooden eye, watch out). This referred to an fable of a one-yes parson with a young, pretty wife, who since he had only one good eye and a wooden one, had to be especially watchful to prevent becoming a cuckold.'

[E.F.Hartmann]

Excellent work thank you.

[JG26_EZ]

Very nice job Major

[major_setback]

Thanks!